So I have been struggling for more than a month trying to get coding working on my E91. Tried *everything* listed here and on other sites and references - drivers, VM versions VM packages, timing the plug-key-button combo, .ini file settings... I can't even remember all the steps and cold nights sitting in my car trying to get this damn thing working.

The final kicker came when Rich shared his VM image with me. It worked for him... and did NOT work for me, so then I knew it MUST be the cable (or my car or me or my area of the planet...but probably the cable).

As luck would have it, there was a shipping problem with my cable from Tmart and they ended up sending me two cables, about 30 days apart. The first cable was as many have described having problems with - the dreaded "BLUE BOARD" version. I even tried the pin 7/8 linked/not linked which had me open the cable and saw HORRIFIC manufacturing and soldering technique on the blue-board unit. Absolute crap. The second cable they sent me however - same supplier, same product request - TOTALLY DIFFERENT CABLE!!!

Different housing, different USB connector, GREEN board vs BLUE board, different stickers in different spots, slightly different components layout - totally different. You'd think I bought it from another company in a different country, not just whatever came out of the bargain barrel next and got tossed in the mail to me. It almost looks to me like the BLUE board is a knock-off "counterfeit" of the GREEN board! Very odd. Look at the "CE" sticker alone - the blue one is poorly printed, on square-cut label vs. properly printed on die-cut label. hmmmm suspicious.

Anyway - as Monty Python once remarked - It was... THE SALMON MOUSSE!!

The new green-boarded cable worked FIRST TRY (on Rich's VM - thanks Rich), no changes to my setup or technique whatsoever. INPA - airbag response successful. Shut it down opened NCSExpert - VIN response successful. First try, immediate and without hesitation or screwing around whatsoever.

So there you have it - if you're having problems and feel you've "tried everything" and still can't even get INPA or NCS to even open a channel to your car... it could be your cable as many have also noted.

MANY THANKS to everyone who offered and tried to help me out.
(esp: rich123321, phil.harlow and cn55ic)

Now to finally go back and read everything over again to try my first coding.

As you have found out the hard way - there IS a difference in the quality of cables to be had. This applies even to cables that 'appear' to be identical to the recommended ones. There is a varying degree of Quality Control (or the lack thereof) between mfg's.

That's the reason why members who started the coding section listed approved cables to buy that were known to work. With any others it's 'Hit & Miss' whether they work or not...

So many have decided to go with a cheaper cable & got the results you have found - but still they want to blame the non functioning on something else.

As you have found out the hard way - there IS a difference in the quality of cables to be had. This applies even to cables that 'appear' to be identical to the recommended ones. There is a varying degree of Quality Control (or the lack thereof) between mfg's.

That's the reason why members who started the coding section listed approved cables to buy that were known to work. With any others it's 'Hit & Miss' whether they work or not...

So many have decided to go with a cheaper cable & got the results you have found - but still they want to blame the non functioning on something else.

Glad to see you got your coding up and working though

All true. I have had much success over the years with basic needs satisfied by items found on eBay and similar discount sites, having learned over time what to watch out for. In this case however, I underestimated the recommendations to go with the $100+ cables as "1337" (Leet-ist) and overestimated my personal shopping experience in choosing a $50 middle-market product (although I'm certain I found Tmart somewhere through this site...? Luck of the draw I think). First shot was a messy pure scam piece of crap miss. Second scored a direct hit, but only by pure chance as far as I can tell!

Dodged a bullet, and learned something new (that leet's aren't "always" just being leety). Ha.

I haven't been trouble shooting nearly as long as you but I have been having one hell of a time trying to get past step 40 of the DIY without getting an error message. I checked the sticked error code thread and found someone who had the exact same error code. The only response he got was you set something up wrong, try again, which he did and fixed everything. I have gone through it a few time on my VM and still can't get it to work. I have the white chip BTW on my cable which I have heard is a good one. Can you share the VM with me, PM me please!

Edit:
Turned out I just forgot to enable the USB cable through the VM, noob error.

ohoh... that's another vote for a bad white board. So far GREEN has been the only consistent winner... problem is actually getting one. Seems the pic on the website isn't always the one you get. If I had known it would be this big of a hassle, I would surely have just grabbed the $100 cable (with $8 in parts and 12 cents in labour used to build it... makes me nuts) right off the start.

The final kicker came when Rich shared his VM image with me. It worked for him... and did NOT work for me, so then I knew it MUST be the cable (or my car or me or my area of the planet...but probably the cable).

Any chance you could share this VM? Maybe set up a temp FTP so I can DL it from you?

If I can get a copy of a working VM, I'll post it to usenet. Would make everyone's life easier.

ohoh... that's another vote for a bad white board. So far GREEN has been the only consistent winner... problem is actually getting one. Seems the pic on the website isn't always the one you get. If I had known it would be this big of a hassle, I would surely have just grabbed the $100 cable (with $8 in parts and 12 cents in labour used to build it... makes me nuts) right off the start.